Funky Kong (ファンキーコング Fankī Kongu) is a recurring character in the Donkey Kong series. Funky often serves as an ally to the Kongs, offering services such as transportation and weaponry. He has also recently been appearing in most DK spin-offs and even Mario spin-offs. He is also in the Mario Kart Series.

Contents

History

Donkey Kong series

Funky Kong makes his debut in the original Donkey Kong Country. Funky serves as the owner of Funky's Flights, which is available in every area of Donkey Kong Island. He will allow Donkey and Diddy Kong to use his Jumbo Barrel to travel to areas of the island the player has beaten. In Donkey Kong Country''s two remakes, Funky also hosts Funky's Fishing, which is a combo-based fishing minigame. He is the one who gave Donkey Kong his gun.

Funky Kong returns inevitably in the sequel to Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. His role is largely unchanged, hosting Funky's Flights II, the most major changes being cosmetic. Funky Kong actually owns two different aircraft in this game; in the original release, he has the Biplane Barrel, but in the Game Boy Advance remake he owns a Gyrocopter. Also in the remake he runs several mission based mini-games requiring the Gyrocopter that reward DK Coins. Lastly, he, in the Game Boy Advance remake, bombs the Flying Krock after Diddy and Dixie defeat Kaptain K. Rool and escape via Gyrocopter away from Crocodile Isle.

In Donkey Kong Land 2 for the Game Boy, Funky Kong’s role is exactly the same as in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest, with him allowing Diddy and Dixie to use his Funky Barrel to travel to areas they've previously been to, for a price.

In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Funky Kong runs Funky's Rentals in the Northern Kremisphere, near Bazaar's General Store; at the beginning of the game, Dixie Kong must visit Funky in order to pick up her cousin and partner throughout the game, Kiddy Kong, as well as the Motor Boat. As Dixie and Kiddy progress through the game, they can gain various items and give them to Funky, who will use them to create new, more powerful vehicles for them to use and reach new locations.

Throughout Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, references to Funky working on a "secret project" are made by the Brothers Bear; if Dixie and Kiddy confront Funky about this, he will acknowledge that he is working on something, also saying that for a down payment of every DK Coin in the game, he will let the Kongs see what it is and let them use it. If the Kongs do bring Funky all the DK Coins obtainable, he will give them his Gyrocopter, which they can use to locate the Banana Bird Queen and her last three children.

In the Game Boy Advance port of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, Funky Kong's role is essentially the same as in the original, with the only difference being that he will allow Dixie and Kiddy to play various mini-games in his shop; if the Kongs beat all these minigames, Funky will reward them with a Banana Bird.

In the Brazilian commercial for DKC3, it can be seen that Funky's sprite from Donkey Kong Country 2 was still being in use at the time.

During the ending cut scene of Donkey Kong 64, it is Funky who delivers the final blow (after Chunky Kong in the actual fight) to King Krusha K. Rool; as the Kremling King is distracted by Candy Kong, Funky, equipped with a rocket launcher, fires a boot at him, which knocks King Krusha K. Rool through the ceiling of his arena and on to K. Lumsy Island.

Funky Kong appears in this game, replacing Cranky Kong as the owner of the item shop. The shop name is called "Funky's Fly 'N' Buy." In the Nintendo Switch port of this game, Funky also becomes a playable character.

Funky Kong’s role in DK: King of Swing is largely minimal, with him appearing only in the opening cut scene, after King K. Rool steals all the Jungle Jam Medals. Funky makes his first playable appearance in the game’s Jungle Jam mode, where his partner is Dixie Kong. He has a very high strength, like most of his other appearances, but lacks the ability to jump high and far.

In DK Jungle Climber, Funky, along with the bulk of the Kong Family, goes on vacation to Sun Sun Island; when Donkey, Diddy, Cranky meet the banana alien Xananab and decide to help in his quest to reclaim his Crystal Bananas, which were stolen by the Kremling Gang, Funky will reopen Funky's Flights. If the Kongs and Xananab collect a certain amount of Oil Barrels, they can give them to Funky to power his Barrel Plane, which can fly them to a smaller version of the island they’re on. It is likely Funky Kong flies DK, Diddy, Cranky, and Xananab to the next island, but doesn't go with the gang through the wormhole to chase King K. Rool. It is possible he flew back to Sun Sun Island after that. Funky Kong is also playable in the game’s VS. Mode.

He also appears as an unlockable character in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast, where he is one the most physically powerful characters in the game, but so-so in other stats; his main rival in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast is the Kremling Kludge.

Other appearances

In the Wii game Mario Kart Wii Funky Kong makes his very first playable appearance in an official Mario game. He is an unlockable Large-sized character, unlocked by obtaining four Expert Staff Ghost Data on Time Trial mode. While he does not have his own race course, he does have his own battle track, the Funky Stadium. Though it is not stated so on the official website, it is widely believed that Funky Kong is the fastest character in the game, as every world champ uses him, specifically on the Flame Runner or the Spear, the two fastest Large bikes. If the player watch closely to the stats of Large-sized karts and bikes, the player can see Funky Kong is indeed a (little) bit faster in some karts and bikes than other Large-sized characters (except Rosalina who appears to be as fast as Funky Kong). He made his second playable appearance in a Mario game in the Wii title Mario Super Sluggers.

Funky cameos as a collectible trophy:
A sunglassed surfer and friend of the Kongs. Funky Kong is indeed funky, from his looks to his lingo. Funky provides different services to the Kongs throughout the different games, be it a barrel-transport system or ammunition expertise. He may have tired of business dealings, as he's been a barrel-race participant more recently.

Television

In the Donkey Kong Country television series, Funky Kong appears as a major character, with his character being relatively the same as in the games - the adventure loathing owner of Funky's

Funky Kong, as he appears in the Donkey Kong Country television series

Flights and one of Donkey Kong's best friends. Like his video game conterpart, he still calls DK "Donkey-Dude". As well as enjoying surfing and dancing, Funky is portrayed as exceptionally spiritual in the show, known to talk about subjects such as karma quite often. On the show, Funky is portrayed as having golden colored fur instead of brown, wore more goggle-like glasses and spoke with a Jamaican accent, provided by voice actor Damon D’Oliveira.

He is revealed to have water in his head and a tiny brain. Also, it's revealed that if DK never existed he is shown to be one of Diddy's lackeys and lonely.

Literature

In the novel Donkey Kong: Rumble in the Jungle, Funky Kong takes Diddy Kong for a flight. While above the jungle, Diddy points out that the deserted Big Ape City is strangely active again. After dropping Diddy Kong off, Funky investigates, but is captured by the Kremlings. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong go into the city to save him.

In the German edition Club Nintendo, Funky Kong appears in a somewhat minor role in the comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", where he appears at the celebration the Kong Family has at its end. In Club Nintendo'scomic book length adaptation of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Funky makes a brief appearance in the scene where Cranky explains Banana Coins and Kremkoins to Diddy and Dixie.

In the Donkey Kong comic "Bumm-Badabumm im Urwald", Funky (being called "Funky-Kong", with a hyphen in his name) despite not actually appearing in the story, does play a crucial role in it. In the comic, Funky is the one who alerts Donkey, Diddy and Dixie Kong, through drumming, that the Kremling Krew has plundered all the bananas on Donkey Kong Island.

Other

A large amount of merchandise of Funky Kong, most of it based off his appearance in Donkey Kong Country or the television series, has been released; this includes objects such as statuettes, plush dolls, mini figures and key-chains.

Trivia

Without his bandanna and shades, Funky Kong looks identical to DK except for the shade of his hair.

It is speculated that, due to their near identical appearance, Funky Kong and Donkey Kong are likely brothers.

The fact that Cranky is both Donkey Kong and Funky Kong's grandfather backs this statement up.

Funky Kong and Donkey Kong could also be first cousin's.

The fact that Cranky is both Donkey Kong and Funky Kong's grandfather backs this statement upon

Funky Kong's appearance is closely resemble to Thrilla Gorilla, a mascot who debuted in the 1980's to Town & Country Surf Designs, who appeared in two NES games called T & C Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage & T & C II: Thrilla's Surfari. There are some fan theories that Rare got the inspiration of Funky Kong from Thrilla Gorilla's design.